1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for improving the aerodynamic profile of vehicles utilizing front end, rear end and side vehicle fairing structures, especially for use on a tractor-trailer. The system improves fuel consumption without affecting loading and unloading operations.
2. Description of Related Art
The amount of power needed to move a vehicle over land or through the air increases with the speed of the vehicle due to aerodynamic drag. The amount of power necessary to overcome aerodynamic drag directly translates into increased fuel consumption, and thus cost of operation.
A variety of innovations aimed at reducing the aerodynamic drag of various transport vehicles, including tractor-trailer combinations, have been introduced in the prior art. These include efforts to make the hood, windscreen, fenders etc. more streamlined in form, as well as by adding fairings to the cab roof, and in some cases, to the trailer box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,791 discloses a vehicle fairing structure that may be deployed on the rear of a trailer box. While this fairing structure significantly reduces drag at the rear end of the trailer box a significant amount of drag is also associated with the front of the trailer box, where there is known to be an area of high pressure and relatively stagnant air approximately at the middle of the forward vertical face of the trailer cab. A front fairing structure adapted to be positioned in the gap between a tractor and a trailer in a tractor-trailer combination is disclosed in a U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/844,511, and in a non-provisional application claiming the benefit of priority thereof, filed concurrently herewith. All of the aforesaid patent and applications (U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,791, Provisional Application No. 60/844,511 and the non-provisional application filed herewith [Attorney Docket No. 02916.00003]) are incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,160 discloses a semi-trailer truck with front air flow panels and fabric side skirts, but does not address the problem of drag at the rear end of the trailer box. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,847 discloses inflatable/extendable skirts along the side of a tractor-trailer to reduce air drag, but does not address the problem of drag at the top or rear ends of the vehicle.
The claimed invention fills the gaps left by prior disclosures by providing a vehicle fairing system comprising vehicle fairing structures that function together to optimize the aerodynamic profile of a vehicle.